Council President Shiva Bidar and Vice President Barbara Harrington-McKinney issued the following statement:

“Today, on the 19th of June, we commemorate the abolition of slavery and the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.  This celebration is particularly pointed this year as 2019 marks the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Africans in the English colonies at Point Comfort, Virginia, in 1619.  Juneteenth reminds all of us of the continued resilience of people of African descent in America and as the United States Congress today holds panel discussions on the issue of reparations, we are reminded that we do not live in a post racial society and that there are persistent inequalities that still exist, particularly in mass incarcerations, income disparities and home and business ownership.

As we recognize this day, and how far African Americans have come in our society, let us not forget that “none of us are free unless we are all free”. We must all take up the charge to promote racial equity and social justice, particularly in the City of Madison in order to bring true meaning to the significance of this day.”